


Capturing the Blooming Night

by Shyrothy



Category: Bleach
Genre: F/M, Hueco Mundo, Hueco Mundo Arc, Las Noches
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-12 20:34:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 9
Words: 7,795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29141583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shyrothy/pseuds/Shyrothy
Summary: Aizen never thought he would be so lucky. All the scheming in the world could not have prepared him for the treasure that all but fell into his lap. She was the key to his success at ridding the world of the thing people reverently called the Soul King. She would be his queen, while he reigned over the world as the perfect being. First he would need to break the poor thing.ON HIATUS. I will come back to this, but between real life and most of my inspiration going towards the BNHA universe, I can't really work on this at the moment.
Relationships: Aizen Sousuke/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 10





	1. Prologue: Of legends and stories

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!  
> So, this is an entirely self-indulgently written story that my head decided to fixate on in lieu of doing some actual work. I haven’t written fiction in a long time and I really wasn’t about to start again. But since I ended up writing this anyways, I might as well share it with others. Just to be clear, it’s a work in progress and I have absolutely no goal in mind with this. I’m just writing whatever comes up, whenever I have time. If you like and have ideas or tips, feel free to speak up ^^
> 
> Some small FYI's:  
> \- English is not my first language, though I think I have become quite adequate at it. If you spot any mistakes or weird sentence, please point them out so I can adjust them.  
> \- This is not beta-read. I always look over my stories at least once, before I post them. I tend to write a few chapters in advance, so I usually come back to a chapter once or twice before posting it. However, mistakes can still be made.  
> \- I don't mind criticism, as long as it is constructive and respectful. Do keep in mind, that this is really written for my own self-indulgence and I may not do anything with it.  
> \- Over the course of the story I will likely add more tags and warnings. What is indicated at this point, is what I know for sure is going to happen at some point. As I said, I do not know for sure yet where this story is going to take us. Though I do expect it to get rough, I know myself and what I like in terms of fiction.  
> \- The story will start up a bit slow. There is a quite a bit of background/build-up to cover before I can get to the actual point of the story, so bear with me.  
> \- Also I tend to go a bit heavy on physical descriptions regarding the OC. This is very much due to my head going wild with this particular fantasy and I just have a clear picture in mind. If you can't deal with stuff like that, by all means skip over those parts. 
> 
> Chapter summary: the prologue of our story, giving you a little insight into who or rather what our main character is. This is basically made up lore, built up around the canon concept of the Soul King. 
> 
> Please enjoy!

_Long ago when the Soul King was not yet sealed by the shinigami, he had an epiphany. He was the balancer of the world and the flow of souls. He realized that as the sole bearer of that purpose that balance may be upset if something were to happen to him. At that point in time he was free to walk on earth among the humans, though he preferred the soul world much more and never even set foot in Hueco Mundo. Figuring that he would eventually simply stay in the soul world anchoring the world balance from there, he decided that he would need a counter anchor. This anchor would either need to be in the living world or Hueco Mundo. He knew he would have to create something with power on a similar level to him, and he wasn't really keen on having something else with so much power walking amongst the souls he was responsible for._

_Thus he made his choice and for the first time in the world's creation did he step inside of the world of hollows. There he hunted down a powerful but unsuspecting hollow and used it as a basis for his new creation. Taking some of the essence of a pure human soul, a shinigami soul, the essence of Hueco Mundo itself and part of his power. He melded it all together into a being that while very powerful, was also irrevocably tied to Hueco Mundo. He commanded the new being to sleep within the depths of Hueco Mundo and to only wake and interfere in the balance of souls and the world when he would be unable to do so._

_So the being slept. Being partially made from the very essence of Hueco Mundo, it was able to merge with the environment, thus encompassing everything in the world that consisted of everlasting night. It was in the very crystallic sand, in the cold dark sky and the unwavering and unmoving sickle moon. Thus the being familiarized itself with anything and everything that was in Hueco Mundo, including the tormented souls roaming within its domain. It grew to care for them in a way and connected with each and every one of them. It welcomed each new soul that turned into the twisted form of a hollow with open arms caring for them as a mother would for her children._

_It was when the shinigami sealed the god that was the Soul King into its current form, that the being first woke up. Having been part of Hueco Mundo for so long and consisting also of a human and shinigami soul, the being could take on a form that was far beyond the hollow initially used as its basis vessel. The being took the form of a humanoid looking woman, somewhere between a vasto lorde and an arrancar. She looked a bit peculiar with her almost white coloring and black bone-like features, the opposite of natural hollows. The woman quickly realized why she had woken up and decided to go back to sleep again. Just because her maker was incapacitated, did not mean he could not do his job. After all he still existed. So the woman went to sleep once again. Though now that she had been awoken and had taken physical form once, she felt she was able to let her senses stretch far beyond the vastness that was Hueco Mundo even while asleep._

_The second time the woman woke up she knew she was needed. Humans are foolish creatures she quickly realized as the quincy took it upon themselves to rid the world of those she considered hers by fully eradicating them. They did not realize the balance they were upsetting. She knew taking out the quincies would only further upset things, so she would do the only other thing she could. Creating new hollow souls. While hollows normally came from human souls, she had the potential to create actual new souls that were hollow in nature. She was the mother of hollows._

_The third time she woke up was during the creation of the first Hōgyoku by Aizen. By then she had become attuned to anything that was either hollow or that might disturb the balance, no matter where each of these things were taking place. She hasn't slept since..._


	2. 1. A fateful meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A meeting between our main OC and our beloved blonde shopkeeper. It is set in the night that Ichigo and the rest go to Soul Society. This is mostly a setup to help introduce the main character. I do not know yet how relevant the meeting itself will be later in the story. I might still delve deeper into Ichigo's role, though it would probably be a very long time away until the OC and Ichigo would even make contact. Let's not speculate any further on the what-ifs. 
> 
> Please enjoy :)

_August 8th 3 o'clock in the morning_

It was a quiet night in Karakura town. While most people were asleep and unaware of what was about to happen, a certain blonde shopkeeper was wide awake. He had a foreboding feeling that something important was about to happen, though he wasn't quite sure whether that would be here or in Soul Society. Having sent off Ichigo and his friends to save Rukia only a few hours ago, he had plenty to worry about. Not that he would show or tell anyone that. 

Meanwhile a portal from a world that most would be alarmed about, opened up on the other side of the town. Out came not a regular hollow, but a rather ethereal looking being. It was a very pale woman, one could even say almost snow white and with even whiter hair. She looked very delicate in her white kimono, yet somewhat regal. Part of her long hair was wrapped around an upturned sickle moon shape at the back of her head, hiding the black bone-like material, while the rest flowed past her back ending near the back of her knees. Long bangs hid her eyes mostly from view, not giving away their unnatural fully black appearance. Similarly her kimono sleeves were just a tad too long, hiding away the deadly weapons that were her hands. She sighed as if bothered by having to step foot in the living world. She knew she couldn't loiter around here and quickly made way towards her destination.

As soon as a pair of pale bare feet landed on the ground in front of the shop, the door opened. Watching over the top of his fan was Urahara Kisuke. His cane was by his side, though he did not draw his sword. If the woman was surprised by how fast he noticed her, she did not show it. Instead she opened her mouth letting her almost haunting voice out. "Urahara Kisuke, former shinigami Taichō that fled Soul Society while helping the Vizard, mentor to Kurosaki Ichigo and above all creator of a Hōgyoku." His eyes sharpened and the hand holding Benihime in the cane twitched in reaction to that last statement. The woman raised an eyebrow and continued in a less confrontational tone "Do relax a little, will you. I am simply here to talk. Perhaps we can go inside? We're far more likely to catch attention out here." Grey eyes showed a hint of intrigue but also wariness. "Of course, can I offer you some tea?" While still on edge, Urahara was aware he should allow the woman inside. After all it wasn't every day that a strange being in possession of too much knowledge came knocking in the middle of the night. And her visage and hollow-like aura were indeed likely to catch someone's eye if she were to keep standing in front of his shop. Even though he couldn't feel a lick of reiatsu from her.

The two of them sat down with the aforementioned tea, though the woman didn't touch hers, hands still hidden away in her sleeves. Urahara's bucket hat and fan were laying to the side, his more serious nature coming to the forefront. "Would you care to tell me what I owe the pleasure of such an _exotic_ looking guest in my establishment?" If she caught the dig towards the obvious hollow nature of her aura, she wasn't bothered by it. "We need to talk about _Aizen_." Urahara's eyes darkened a little. "Oh my, now why would we need to talk about Aizen?" The woman narrowed her eyes in irritation. "Don't play dumb Urahara-san, you of all people should know very well what that man is capable of." He merely smiled behind his fan in his usual fashion before reacting in a somewhat cheery but placating tone "I didn't mean to upset you. Why don't you start with who you are and how you know about that man." The woman sighed, knowing she would have to explain a lot. "What do you know exactly about the legends regarding the Soul King?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so you know, I couldn't settle at an exact look for the character for the whole story, so she changes a lot in the first few chapters with different forms. Some details remain pretty much the same across all her forms/descriptions though (the white skin, long white hair, the prominent black moon at the back of her head amongst are the most obvious ones). I would say her description here, is her most human looking form. This will all be explained as we go along ;)  
> Also, I think you can somewhat guess already where some of the inspiration for how she looks came from. Let me know what you think about that.


	3. 2. An early morning talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The rest of the meeting with Urahara plays out until the early hours of the morning.

The pale woman looked Urahara in the eyes, her pale lips tilting up in a slight smirk. "If there are any stories in the archives about me, I'm sure they will say something like the Soul Kings sister or something else convoluted. I highly doubt there is actually much to find, given how you Shinigami like to bury the truth and secrets alike." To say that Urahara was a bit surprised to have what was almost an equal to the Soul King in front of him was an understatement, but he took it in stride. In their world stranger things have happened. In any case he still wanted to know what she had to say about Aizen, if she of all people considered him a threat. "Neh Hollow-san, what is it about Aizen then?" "You may address me with my chosen name, Ryo Sakuya." She sighed again, the worries of the world balance on her shoulders. "Aizen woke me up when he first created the Hōgyoku and his continued experiments with it and anything Hollow in nature has kept me awake and on edge. I have been watching him since I awoke. He has already violated the balance with his creations and experiments and has been coming to Hueco Mundo more recently." 

"With creations you mean the Visored?" "Among others, yes. It's not that I do not accept them as Hollows, it is just something that inherently should be separate and therefore should not exist. The thing that worried me more was that white Hollow he created and invaded the Quincy. That thing is as unnatural as I am." Urahara's eyes flashed with recognition. "That Hollow was created by Aizen?" "Hai, it was made out of a dead Shinigami's soul. It's where my own inverted coloring comes from as well. I believe it now resides in Kurosaki Ichigo, which I must admit is not a very bad thing. Together they can fulfill a great destiny. It is part of the reason why I came to you today. Aizen has taken the Hōgyoku from the vessel you hid it in and his betrayal of Soul Society has become a fact. I need you to promise me that you will keep looking after the boy and make sure he gets strong enough for whatever is to come." This was a demand Urahara was sure he would do his best to meet. It was likely the boy would wish to get stronger anyways. 

"You said Aizen has been coming to Hueco Mundo?" For the first time that evening Sakuya took her cup of tea and took a sip, mulling over the question and where to begin. Urahara was intrigued to see her hands almost resembling claws, rather than human hands. Noticing his gaze, she raised an eyebrow at him almost as if saying 'what did you expect'. He merely hid his smirk behind his fan, waiting for an answer to his question. 

"Aizen has indeed come over to Hueco Mundo over the last years or so and two days ago he took up permanent residency. He has gathered many of the strong Hollows and twisted them further into new kinds of beings, by breaking their masks and introducing shinigami aspects in their makeup with the help of the Hōgyoku. They are called Arrancar. Again this is messing with the natural balance of the souls natures and also tilting the power balance in Hueco Mundo's favor. Technically I should be able to do something as a balancer. I just can't justify going around and killing Hollows to even out the scales myself, not when I consider any and all Hollows my own. I am Hollow and I am Hueco Mundo, most of all I was not made with the intention to destroy, but to guide the world back to its natural position and to provide the world with new souls where they are needed. As contradictory as that is to the nature of a Hollow, it is what defines me as the counter anchor to the Soul King."

"So if I understand you correctly, you are coming to me with this information to set the scales of the natural order back in their rightful position. I assume that informing someone within Seireitei isn't an option." Sakuya scoffed harshly at the idea. "You see me right. While I can somewhat adjust my appearance into something less threatening and less Hollow-like, this is about as normal as it gets. My usual form is a bit more Hollow-based than this. I sincerely doubt that they would listen to a word I said or even believe the fact of my existence. Besides I'm not actually allowed to cross over into the spirit world, I am bound to Hueco Mundo. Coming to the living world is already pushing it far enough." ' Plus if I do anything more Aizen will notice for sure and I don't know how much longer I can avoid him noticing me'  she thought to herself. "Of course, sumimasen Ryo-san. I did not mean anything by it. Is there anything else I should know?" "No. I will keep watching Aizen, though I am not sure whether I'll be able to learn much else without getting too close. I am afraid he might already be aware of being watched. I may have to start hiding in sheep's clothing so to speak. Should he find out the truth behind my existence, I loathe to think about what he would do." Urahara's eyes darkened again at the idea of this being falling into Aizen's hands. It would certainly tip the balance in an unknown direction and it could only bring chaos and despair. Sakuya was following a similar thread of thought and the atmosphere in the room that had brightened somewhat from the start of the conversation was suddenly filled with a lot of tension with responsibility of the world balance hanging between them. 

"So, sheep's clothing?" The doubt was clear on his face, how would something with such a striking appearance hide itself? Sakuya smirked a little at that, eyes gaining a bright iris and a black dragonesque mask starting to form over her face. "Ah yes, despite my somewhat human appearance, my vessel is still Hollow for the majoraty you see. I am perfectly capable of making my vessel suit my needs." Urahara was slightly startled by how much the Hollow feeling of her aura intensified, almost feeling like a true Hollow. She let the mask disappear again and her eyes turned back to the endless black pools they had been before. "I may not be able to hide my inverted colors, but at the very least I'll be able to appear non threatening enough to slip by as simply a random anomaly. I was hoping to get a little closer to him the coming days." Urahara wasn't sure how wise that was, but didn't comment on it. 

Dawn was about to break and Sakuya realized it was about time to go back. "It seems my time is up for today. Thank you for your hospitality. I am not sure whether I can come by again. The future is very uncertain." She gave a small bow in thanks and walked out without waiting for a reply. Once outside she sped to the outskirts of town and opened up a Garganta. She smiled a little, not surprised to feel the reiatsu signatures close by and quickly went back to Hueco Mundo. Back at the shop Hirako Shinji dropped from the roof and made his way inside. "Yo Kisuke, care to share who the lady was?" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You've probably already noticed. I tend to use Japanese words here and there as well as the Japanse name order of having the last name first, especially in conversations. I am a strictly Japanese voiced anime watcher, so in my head it just sounds much more natural than the English order. This will likely change once we get to Hueco Mundo, because of Spanish influences and all that.  
> Also, I tried coming up with a Spanish sounding name for the OC, couldn't find anything with a meaning in the direction that I wanted. So Japanese it is. Again here in regular English order it would be Sakuya Ryo. Sakuya means Blooming night, and Ryo means Dragon.


	4. 3. Welcome to Las Noches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sakuya returns to Hueco Mundo and receives an invitation to join the Arrancar in Las Noches. As old as our dear OC is, it appears she is a bit too naïve to not walk straight into Aizen's hands it seems.

In Hueco Mundo a Garganta opened up far away from Las Noches. A female Vasto Lorde with unusual coloring came out. She had a dragonesque mask and all the bone-like armor features that all Hollows possess were black as the night instead of the usual white. On top of her shoulder and along her spine and tail were spikes and most of the armor looked as if it was made up out of scales. Even the snow white skin peaking between the armor appeared to be almost made up out of scales. Her hands and feet were practically dragons' claws. Wings were folded at her back, a peculiar combination of black skeletal features and white leathery skin. Yet perhaps the most remarkable features were the long white hair and the black upturned sickle moon shape at the back of her head. 

The Vasto Lorde moved a large distance away from where she came out of the Garganta, not wanting it traced back to her. With Aizen in Hueco Mundo she could not take any chances. Slowing down once she felt she was far enough, she started thinking about how to get closer to the Shinigami. She could hardly just come knocking at the door of Las Noches nor was merging back into Hueco Mundo itself an option. In the end she chose to start circling Las Noches in a still somewhat large perimeter, figuring she would be noticed eventually. 

Unbeknownst to Sakuya, she had been noticed the moment she started even slightly nearing Las Noches. Intrigued brown eyes watched the screen showcasing the unusual Vasto Lorde. Aizen hadn't seen a Hollow with a black mask since twenty years prior when he experimented with the Shinigami-based Hollow. Not being able to sense how powerful it was through the screen thought about who to send after it. He wanted the Hollow regardless of its powers. Such a unique looking thing was sure to be special in some way. "Gin, please go scout out that Vasto Lorde. Perhaps take the Tres Espada with you." "Hai, Aizen-Taichō." 

Sakuya sensed them far before they even got close to her. She was surprised by how fast they had picked up on her presence. It did not bode well for the future she thought. She took a defensive stance, as any Hollow would in reaction to two powerful beings approaching them. They stopped a few meters away from her, keeping a somewhat non-threatening distance. Not that that meant much when it concerned the former captain of the third division and a powerful Arrancar. The Vasto Lorde cocked her head as if in question of their presence here, her tail swishing in agitation. "Shinigami…" "No need to be so agitated, Hollow-san. My name is Ichimaru Gin and this is Tier Harribel. We're here with an invitation from Las Noches. Aizen-sama offers to help you evolve into an Arrancar." "Arrancar?"

When Tier was asked to accompany Ichimaru Gin to approach a Vasto Lorde, she was surprised. She was hardly ever involved in recruitment of more Hollows. Looking at the being in front of her she realized she probably was just serving as a mediator. The Vasto Lorde felt quite strong and appeared to be extremely guarded and defensive. She supposed it wasn't strange, lone female Hollows, even at the level of a Vasto Lorde were usually considered prey by many of the male Hollows. Something that had evidently carried over from their human lives. Yet there was something strange about this one. Tier felt a sense of familiarity, she couldn't describe. Writing it off to kinship as a female she didn't comment on it. Instead she made the effort to help convince the defensive female to come join them as was expected of her. 

-

After some convincing Sakuya agreed to come to Las Noches, though she couldn't shake the foreboding feeling. Was it really such a good idea to get this close to Aizen? She felt like she could not stay at the sidelines. As much as she would like to entrust the balance to Urahara and the young hybrid, she couldn't just sit on her ass and wait. Aizen was too problematic for that and she was still not sure about his actual goal. She kept mulling it over as they entered Las and made their way to the throne room where Aizen was. As soon as she set foot in the room and saw the smirk on the brunette's face she felt the feeling of dread closing in on her. She had made a mistake by coming here. Was he already aware of her? If not he might soon be, she could feel the presence of the Hōgyoku and she knew it would react differently around her.

"Welcome to Las Noches." She gave a small bow knowing she would have to show the man enough respect to appear truly willing to be here "Thank you for the invitation, Aizen-sama. I am sure I can be of help to your cause." Underneath her mask her mouth formed a tense line, despite that she appeared relaxed to other occupants of the room. Aizen could sense the wariness coming off the creature from the minute she stepped into the room though. He felt like he was going to enjoy playing around with this one, figuring out what exactly was underneath that relaxed facade. "Come, let us start your transformation. I am sure you're eager to evolve." The wariness increased and he thought he spied a hint of dread in the eyes peeking from the dragon-like mask. How interesting he thought, this was going to be very interesting indeed.

To say that Sakuya was glad the supposed transformation would take place in a smaller separate room, where no Arrancar could watch was an understatement. If this got out of hand she would want as few people to deal with as possible before making a break for it. The construction of Las Noches was made from a different material than naturally occurred in Hueco Mundo. She wouldn't be able to merge with it and a potential escape would thus include getting out of the enormous building. In any case she didn't have a clue how the Hougyoku would react to her. At best it would do nothing and she may be able to fake the transformation. Little did she know her fate was sealed already the moment she stepped in Las Noches.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep I totally skipped the rest of that conversation with Gin and Harribel. My head wasn't up to writing it, so I didn't


	5. 4. The Hōgyoku

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trouble is starting as the Hōgyoku reveals too many secrets.

The Vasto Lorde stepped into the room for her transformation into an Arrancar. The door closed behind her and she could feel the presence of the two former Shinigami captains behind it. Aizen stood in the middle of the room with the Hōgyoku in hand. He beckoned her closer "Come, there is no need to be afraid." She kneeled in front of him as indicated and looked at him with determination shining in her eyes. However, the moment the Hougyoku touched her that determination disappeared. 

It all happened in a flash. As soon as the damned thing touched Sakuya a connection between her and Aizen established for just a moment. She became aware of his true intentions and he was able to feel her as the unique being that she was. His eyes widened in surprise before turning calculating and a triumphant expression slid on his face. In a split second he used the Hōgyoku to pull her Shinigami nature more to the forefront, forcing her body into the form of an Arrancar. As a result sealing a lot of her Hollow powers into two crescent moon shaped blades. Upon realizing Aizen's intentions she forced her own will into the Hōgyoku allowing her to at least temporarily seal part of her powers bestowed upon her by the Soul King. While it would severely weaken her, she could not let this man get his hands on them. A fully black circle appeared on her lower abdomen, sitting at the height of a woman's womb. 

When the Hōgyoku was finished the newly made Arrancar felt immediately vulnerable. There she was kneeling naked in front of a man with intentions she couldn’t even have guessed. Most of her powers sealed away, her connection to Hueco Mundo and the other Hollows felt dulled and she knew she wouldn't be able to create new souls for quite a while. Sealing her powers did not affect the balance, but it would hinder her immensely in restoring it, should anything go incredibly awry. She wasn't sure how long it would take her to undo the work of the Hōgyoku. She did not have any time to mull over it now though, she needed to get away and fast. 

She grabbed the two sickle moon blades, her hierro protecting her hands from being cut by the sharp edges on all sides. She delivered a swift kick to Aizen's ankles with a swipe of her leg and made her way to the door. She didn't get very far though. Aizen was on her before she got even close. She swiped at his throat with one of the blades aiming the other one at his stomach, hoping to rip him apart with the pointed edges of the blades. Not used to fighting with the blades yet, she was easily overpowered without the man even having to use any binding kido. Gripping her wrists he pressed up behind her. The dark chuckle falling from his lips sounded ominous. "You weren't planning on leaving already, now were you dear?" She struggled in his grip, the tight hold she had on her blades almost becoming painful. 

"Gin! Kaname!" The door opened and the Arrancar started truly struggling now, fighting to get out of the room. Aizen in turn crushed her wrist together in one hand, while the other grabbed her neck, putting pressure on her windpipe. She was sure she felt and heard the bones in her wrists crack. Gin gave the Arrancar a quick glance, his unnerving smile widening a fraction. "What is it Aizen-Taichō?" "Get a room ready near mine and get her some clothes. Tell Szayel that I require his assistance in her room." "Hai!" The still creepily smiling man sounded way too excited. Tousen merely bowed his head in answer. They left and the door closing seemed like a death sentence. The fight finally left her body, the blades clattering to the ground. She could practically hear Aizen smirking as he spoke in her ear. "Don't worry dear, you won't be going anywhere. I look after the things I consider mine." She couldn't suppress the shiver along her spine and she hated it. Her defiance coming back with a vengeance, she spat out "Fuck you Aizen, I will tear your head off if that's what it takes to get rid of you." Aizen laughed at that and tightened the hand around her neck. The last thing she heard was him saying "My my, breaking you is certainly going to be a pleasure."


	6. 5. Waking up to a new reality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sakuya takes a thorough look at the form forced upon her by Aizen and goes for her first exploration in Las Noches.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just stating it beforehand, sorry if this chapter is boring AF. This is the last chapter that will go into detailed descriptions of Sakuya. After this we're getting to more interesting bits.

When Sakuya woke up she was alone in a room with a bed, a couch and a table. Everything was awfully white, not that she cared much about it. Her world had always consisted of the white landscapes and endless black sky of Hueco Mundo. There were no windows, so she assumed she was held deep within Las Noches. She looked behind a slightly open door, finding a bathroom. She looked at the reflection in the mirror. She was as pale white as ever, as was the black moon feature on the back of her head still present. Her bangs mostly hid her eyes from view, but the white irises on black sclera were very vivid. Her Arrancar evolution left her with black shoulder 'armor' pieces upturned spikes curving slightly inward, the so-called remnants of her mask. The rest of her look more human than she ever did. Her hands for once actually looking like hands rather than claws. Though her black nails were still long and pointy, quite likely to do some damage if she wished to. The black round mark on her abdomen was a stark contrast to her skin. She didn't have a Hollow hole, but this practically looked like one. She laid her hand over it, reaching out to the power hidden deep within. 

Moving her examination on to what she was wearing, the first thing she noticed was the black steel band around her neck. It looked almost delicate and pretty with how small it was, dipping slightly into a point at the front. An opal stone dangled from said point settling in the Hollow of her throat. It looked like a mere accessory, but she could feel the damn thing limiting the access to her reiatsu. She tugged at it hoping to find a way to open it, but it wouldn't budge. She cursed loudly. It was no doubt to keep her from making any moves that could help her escape. Not to mention the blades containing part of her Hollow powers were missing. She really was in quite the predicament now. Cursing her own naivety for even thinking coming here was a good idea in the first place. She was feeling vulnerable despite what she was and she hated it. She also cursed the Soul King for good measure. He made her in such a way that her instinct was to nurture rather than to maim. It was so at odds with the nature of a Hollow yet he bound her to this world. Forcing her to sleep during the majority of her existence left her naïve and vulnerable to calculatory people like Aizen. And here she was paying the price for it. She could honestly only hope Aizen did not have a clue about what she was exactly.

Looking further, the actual clothing didn't help her situation much either. The top was basically a long strip of white cloth going from her neck, crisscrossing in front of her chest and then wrapped around her midriff twice. The bow sitting at the middle of her back. Separate sleeves started at the top of her arms, soon widening and falling past her hands. Though beneath the wide sleeves were black form-fitting arm guards until her wrists. Overall the sleeves would be a hindrance while fighting. The last piece of her outfit consisted of a low hanging, long, flowing white skirt with a black sash tied around her hips. Upon closer inspection the skirt had two slits going up to almost the height of the sash in the front toward the sides. As she stood it wasn't all that noticeable, but you would be able to see it as she walked. She kicked off the boots they had put on her feet. Preferring to walk around barefoot as she had always done.  Done with her inspection, she put her long hair into two low ponytails. That way her hair at least wasn't going to be a bother. If only she could cut it without it growing back to the same length. Giving a last annoyed glance to the collar around her neck, she decided to see if there was any chance of leaving her room. She already missed the endless blackness of the sky and its forever still-standing crescent moon. 

To her great surprise the door opened with just a twist of the doorknob. Looking into the hall, no-one seemed to be present on either side. Tapping into what was left of her bond with Hueco Mundo, she felt around for the Arrancar in the building. She couldn't get a proper read on the layout of the building, so the best she could do was wander and avoid running into someone. She was surprised by the sheer number of Arrancar present. It seemed Aizen had gathered a great deal more Hollows than she had initially thought. No doubt the structure of Las Noches having interfered with her abilities to sense the other Hollows. Reaching out with her senses like this was already tiring. With most of her reiatsu out of her reach, sensing reiatsu was just as much of a challenge. At least she was managing somehow. She was walking around for nearly an hour and managed to avoid any contact. Finally she came across a set of stairs, once reaching the top she discovered herself to be in a tower. The window looking out onto sand and other towers and buildings with a fake sun shining upon them. She cursed again, realizing she was within the dome section of Las Noches. Figuring that she would be better off by going back down she turned back to the stairs. She was startled to see Ichimaru Gin standing at the bottom. "Going somewhere princess?"


	7. 6. Thrown to the wolves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sakuya is brought back to Aizen and is confronted with her position in Las Noches. Her reaction might not be the smartest thing she's ever done.

Sakuya was struggling to get out of Ichimaru's hold, but his arm only tightened around her. For someone with such a seemingly willowy figure he sure was strong. Pushing her elbow into his spine out of frustration merely gave her a chuckle in response. She figured she should probably save as much energy as she could rather than continue to struggle. She fully expected to be brought back to her chambers, but it was only then that she noticed that they were approaching a place with many powerful Arrancar signatures. Walking into the throne room the Shinigami shifted his hold only to drop her onto the ground in front of Aizen's throne."I found a naughty little dragon walking around. I figured you would want her back, Aizen-Taichō. It seems to me like she is in need of some punishment." Sakuya could hear the pure enjoyment at her predicament in his voice and glared up at the man. "Is that so? I suppose we ought to show her the rules first, don't you think so Gin?" Dread filled her at the sound of his voice. She had not forgotten the last encounter with Aizen, that which got her in this situation in the first place. 

Aizen chuckled at the slight fear he could feel coming off of her. It seems she was smart enough to fear him already. She had been out of it for a day or two and it gave him plenty of time to dig up any information he could find on the creature before him. Not that there was much, but he was used to digging deep, especially in regards to the Soul King. To think that something so precious and vital to his plans would fall into his lap. He would break her and once she was docile enough he would make her unseal those powers she so cleverly hid from him. She would be both his loyal servant and his queen. No-one would stand a chance if he were to utilize her powers as he saw fit. She was standing there glaring at him now, having overcome her initial fear. He smiled at that, breaking her was going to be fun indeed.

"Well let's start then, shall we? My Espada, I would like you all to meet Sakuya Ryo, our newest addition. My dear Sakuya-chan here is a bit special to me, but it seems she still needs to learn her place. I do not have the time to fully teach her nor watch over her all the time. So I am giving you free range to do with her as you wish, short of doing her permanent harm and killing her. She is not to be allowed outside the walls of Las Noches. For now I have limited her access to her reiatsu and confiscated her weapons. Both will be returned eventually. You are free to involve your Fracción in dealing with her. However, other than that, no-one will touch even a hair on her head. Is that understood?" He could see the panic in her eyes as she realized what was going on. 

Sakuya felt the trepidation almost solidify in her stomach with each word coming out of the smug bastard's mouth. She knew exactly what he was doing. He would break her with the one thing she cherished most, the damned souls she took under her wing as if she were their mother. Something they might not always directly feel while fighting for their existence in Hueco Mundo, but the connection was there and they couldn't deny it when confronted with her true form. She might not be willing to bring serious harm to Hollows herself, but these ruthless beings wouldn't have a problem taking advantage of easy prey. And that's exactly what she was right now. They had no idea who or what she was and she was powerless to do anything. Aizen was throwing her to the wolves and no doubt would be the one to save her from them once she was drowning deep enough in her own despair. And some wolves they were, she could practically feel the malice dripping from some of them. She was almost glad to only have to deal with the Espada and their fraction. Though were undoubtedly the most bloodthirsty as well.

Not willing to show them any of her panic, she steeled her eyes and straightened her back. She looked at the rest of the throne room, glancing at the various Arrancar around the room. It was easy to pick out who the Espada were. They were extremely powerful. She wondered how she must feel to them right now. While her reiatsu was normally at a level far above anyone's detection, most of it was now contained. Aizen sure did an outstanding job in ensuring she barely had any of it at her disposal. She realized she likely wouldn't have to deal with all of them, some of them might even provide a safe haven for her. For now at least she would hold her head high and not give them even a hint of her weakness. "Aizen," she spoke up, "I'll be going back to my room now." 


	8. 7. The graves we dig

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sakuya is digging her own grave and it will only be a matter of time until she will get to lie in it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that this is super short.  
> Also updates may take a little while. I managed to fall into a BnHA fanfic hole that I can't quite get out of my system and my inspiration is going into a big one-shot that will hopefully will be online by the end of the week.  
> Anyways another chapter for this will be up by the end of the week for sure.

Sakuya didn't give a damn what anyone thought of that remark and she practically stomped on her way out of the throne room. She wasn't going to give in to them so easily. She would fight tooth and nail to keep her sanity. The best way to do so would be to avoid looking like prey. What she did not account for however, was Aizen's reiatsu coming down on her just before she reached the doors. It forced her to her knees immediately and he kept increasing it until she was fully flat on the ground struggling to breath. He lifted it just before she was about to pass out. "Don't think you can get away so easily now dear. You're forgetting who is in charge here and I do believe I had not dismissed you yet, Sakuya." He didn't sound bothered at all and it irked her that he could make a fool out of her so easily.

Sweat trickled down her temple as she righted herself with heaving breaths. She looked Aizen in the eye, defiance practically screaming from her stance. "I believe I did not ask to be dismissed, but rather told you that I would be returning to my room,  _ Aizen-sama _ !" She practically spat the honorific out. Not giving a damn anymore, she turned on her heel and used sonido to get as far away as possible. As soon as she stopped in a random hallway we crumbled to the ground. What little reiatsu she could access was used up now, especially after being under the heavy feel of Aizen's reiatsu. No matter who came for her now, she was royally fucked. Weakly she punched the wall she was leaning against. She was mad, mad at Aizen, the situation and herself for allowing him to get the best of her.

Back in the throne room Aizen regarded his Espada. He knew some of them didn't care for this, but there were a few he could count on to break the beauty that so foolishly ran away just now. 'So that's how it's going to be. You're digging your own grave dear.' He thought to himself. 

Meanwhile the bloodlust among some of the Espada was rising. Both Grimmjow and Nnoitra were sporting insane grins, already imagining what they could do to the girl. She had shown quite the backbone against Aizen and both would greatly enjoy beating it out of her. Szayel, being more aware of who and what she was due to the collar he had to design, was practically salivating at taking her apart as a specimen to investigate. Though it was Ulquiorra that actually made the first move. "Aizen-sama, allow me to take care of the trash for you. She will suffer the consequences of her defiance to you." Aizen did not hesitate to answer. "Of course Ulquiorra, I trust you to deliver a swift punishment." Bowing his head in respect to Aizen, he quickly made his way to where he could feel the woman's meager reiatsu wavering in fatigue. 


	9. 8. Ulquiorra

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sakuya's first taste of her new position

She was on the floor against a wall when he found her. He could see her tensing the moment she noticed his presence behind her. She looked over her shoulder at him and her eyes widened a fraction behind her bangs. She pushed herself back against the wall and he had to admit that despite her foolishness she at least had some good instincts. "Do not think you can get away with this, trash. You'll endure the consequences of your disrespect towards Aizen-sama." Her eyes sparked at the name and he was intrigued. How could a woman who showed up only a few days ago have such a disdain for their lord? Not that it mattered too much, she would learn her place sooner or later. If she wanted to make that harder on herself, that was her own problem. He stepped towards her and she scrambled to get away from him. He regarded the reaction with stone cold eyes. "How foolish you are."

Sakuya felt his hand constricting around her neck before she even had noticed him moving again. Her eyes widening in a panic she had never experienced. Before she could even begin to struggle she was thrown into a wall. The wall cracking behind her from the force. She barely moved an inch until he was on her again, kicking her further into the hallway. Her hierro had protected her from most of the damage, but she wasn't sure how long her body would hold up against this one-sided beat down. She tried to get up, but it was fruitless as she was merely stomped back into the ground. "Trash like you should learn their place." 

The words made her see red. If anyone was trash, it was Aizen and yet this Arrancar followed the maniac like a puppy. The sudden anger allowed her to get up with a surprising speed. She was fully intent on clawing those emotionless green eyes out of his face. She barely managed to reach his cheek and a kick hit her full in the stomach. A kick powerful enough to crash her through a wall. The debris flying around her from the force. It was followed by many more kicks into walls and him stomping her in the ground. He was only ever using his feet, as if she wasn't even worth using anything more than that. Her body was steadily gaining damage from the ruthless beating. 

She had managed to stay mostly silent despite the pain he was causing her. She first cried out when stepped on her wrist with such force that even her hierro couldn't stop it from breaking. He had no remorse and merely kicked at the broken wrist again, resulting in a hiss of pain. "I do not see what makes you so special to Aizen-sama. Worthless trash like you shouldn't be given any of his attention." "You think I wanted any of the asshole's attention, you stuck up twat." Perhaps antagonizing the unreadable man before her wasn't the greatest idea, but Sakuya was just over it at this point. She was done listening to him prattle on about respect and Aizen and him labeling her trash. He would probably continue beating her down anyways. If anything she hoped he would make it quick and let her lick her wounds in peace. Apparently she had struck a nerve. He was on her in flash, one hand digging fingers in her broken wrist and the other crushing down on her windpipe. Digging her grave further she spat in his face while he was so close to her. "That's how far my respect for Aizen will ever reach and you're not going to change that."

The rest was just a blur of pain and agony. By the time Ulquiorra was done with her she was just lying on the ground in her own blood, in too much pain to even move a muscle. Her breath coming out in wheezes, blood dripping from the corner of her mouth. She hissed in pain as he lifted her head by her hair. "You will learn your place trash, not everyone will be as merciful as to keep it to a beating." He let go off her hair, her face nearly smacking back into the ground. Pushing slightly on her elbows despite the pain she looked at him. She wanted to retort, but the words got stuck in her throat as she looked behind him. 

Aizen stood a few meters away with calm eyes observing the destruction of what was once a hallway. Then he stepped towards the pair of Arrancar. Somewhat gently he took hold of Sakuya's face. Her eyes still burned with hatred, but they were dulled over slightly by the pain. "I think that's quite enough for today don't you think, Ulquiorra? We wouldn't want to permanently harm her immediately." "Of course Aizen-sama. Should I bring her back to her room?" He let go of the porcelain face as he considered the question. She clearly wasn't in any state to be moving that far on her nor would she heal properly without treatment. She somehow had been able to rile up the emotionless Espada to the point of him almost going too far. He almost wanted to give her credit for that, she truly was a special little thing. "Bring her to Szayel's first. Tell him he can't do anything other than help her heal right now. We can't have her broken beyond repair so soon." "Hai, Aizen-sama." Ulquiorra threw her over his shoulder, eliciting another hiss of pain. Once he was on his way with Sakuya, Aizen chuckled to himself. She was such a troublesome little thing. This certainly was going to be much more interesting than he expected of his time in Hueco Mundo. 


End file.
